Steam log loader and turner



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` W. E. HILL. 'n STEAM LOGLDADER AND TURNER. No. {1121.463 Patented Feb.13, 1894.

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' W. E. HILL. STEAM LOG LOADER AND TURNER.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. HILL, or nALAiIAzoo, MICHIGAN.

STEAM Loc LOADER AND TURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,463, dated February13, 1894.

Application led February '7. 1893. Serial NOAGLSG. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. HILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and Stateof Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steamlieg Loaders and Turners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in steam log loaders and turners inwhich two upright steam cylinders operated by a single lever actuate anupwardly projecting toothed ba'to manipulate logs or timbers in a sawmIThe objects of myimprovements are to provide a means by which thetoothed bar may be tilted with little lateral strain on the cylinders;provide a more direct means of attaching the operating lever to thevalve stems of the cylinders and an improved and simple manner ofhanging the operatinglever. I attain these objects by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l, is a sideview of my machine in position in a saw-mill the operating mechanism notbeing shown. Fig. 2, is a view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking down,showing also the operating lever and its connecting mechanism. Fig. 3 isa view on line 3--3 of Fig. l, looking to the left. Fig. 4, is a sectionof cylinder E on line 4--4 looking to the left. Fig. 5, is a view of theWeighted operating lever T on line 5-5 looking toward the steamcylinders. Fig. 6, is a detailed view of a modification of guide, pistonand attachments of cylinder. Fig. 7 is a Section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.Fig. S, is a section on line 8--8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9, is a detailed viewin perspective of vthe shield G of Fig. i.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

in the views, A, B, OJ, J are the skidway, carriage and headblocks, silland door, and posts of a saw-mill in the usual form.

E and D are upright stationary steam cylinders having pistons and pistonrods projecting through boxes and guides. The piston rod of cylinder Dis attached to a guide block P containing an antifriction roller andreciprocates on the guide H. A lateral extension of the bar C is alsohinged directly to this piston rod.

To the top of the piston rod of cylinder E, a rack G, is attached on theback of which is a guide block containing an antifriction roller thatreciprocates on the guide H. The rack G, meshes with the cogged segmentF. The 'center of the circle of which F is a segment is the center ofthe pivot which attaches the toothed bar C to the piston rod ofcylinderD.

G is a guard over the gearing to keep saw dust and other obstructionsfrom the gearing.

l prefer to attach the rack G to the piston rod of cylinder E by a pivotas it prevents binding of the parts. However, this mode of connection isimmaterial to my invention being only a detail of construction.

N is the Weighted operating lever which is hung in a yoke M by means ofthe collar T. The collar T is pivoted at right angles to the journalbearings of the yoke M. The lever N is attached by the connecting rod band counterbalanced bell crank K, and connecting rod f to the valve stemC, ot cylinder D. The 1evcr N, is also attached by the connecting rod e,bell crank L, connecting rod d, zc., to the valve stern ot cylinder E.

To use my machine the operator merely tips the operating lever which byits connection with the valve stems gives perfect control of thecylinders. by examining Figs. 2, 3 and 5. Tipping the lever N in a lineat right angles to connecting rod C, will push or pull connecting rod dand cause by its connections only the valves of cylinder D to operate.,Tipping the lever M at right angles to connecting rod d will push orpull connecting rod C, and cause by its connections only the valvesofcylinder E to operate. lsay tipping the lever at right angles, dec.,because it is practically correct. The true motion would be in a curvedline that would cause the point of attachment to the lever of theconnecting rod mentioned to describe an arc of a circle of which theconnecting rod is the radius. Tipping the lever in directions betweenthose above indicated will canse the valves of both cylinders to opcrate. independently 'or both together.

The lever thus operates each cylinder the other, either one alone Thatis to say, by tipping The action will be understood the lever N steamcan be admitted to the top or bottom of both cylinders together or yeachone separately or to the top of one cylinder and to the bottom of theother and vice versa. In operation steam is first admitted to the bottomof cylinder E, which raises the rack G, and tips the bar back asrepresented by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. Steam is then admitted to thebottom of cylinder D, which carr1es the bar up against the log or timberas the case may be. A little steam is then ad, mltted to the top ofcylinder E, which holds the bar with an elastic pressure against thelog. Steam is freely admitted to cylinder D, andthe log is rolled to itsplace. After the log 1s 1n position on the carriage it may be turned byadmitting steam to the bottom of both cylinders. Comparatively a smallamount being admitted to cylinder E. To push the log solid against theheadblocks after 1t 1s on the carriage steam can be admitted to the topof cylinder E, or to the bottom of cylinder D, or steam may be admittedboth at the top of cylinder E, and the bottom of cylinder D. Any otheriiuid under pressure can be used instead of steam.

I have shown in Figs. 6, '7and S a modified form of cylinder E, and itsattachments. In this arrangement the guide is on the side of thecylinder and the bar or rack as the case may be is attached by its topto the top of the piston by a projecting portion. Fig. S, is a crosssection showing grooves on the bar G, and the guides projecting intothem.

In this moditied device iiexible straps or bands of any suitablematerial are attached to the segment and the vertically reci procatingbar so as to tip it the same as the cogs. The band 'i having its upperend attached to the reciprocating bar and its lower end attached to thesegment and the band h having its upper end attached to the segment andits lower end to the reciprocating bar. The bands t' and h are onlyequivalents of the cog gear.

In the operating lever and its connecting mechanism the bell crank L, isnot absolutely essential to the successful operation of the machine. Theconnecting rod e might be connected directly to the bell crank K ofcylinder E. It would require greater care in the manipulation of theoperating lever N, owing to the decreased angle between the connectingrods. I prefer to change the direction of the connecting rods by theintroduction of a bell crank as L. The nearer the angle between theconnecting rods d andeis to a rightangle the less care will be requiredto operate the machine.

I am aware that steam cylinders with their pistons and piston rodsoperated by means of a single lever have been-in use to actuate.

a toothed bar for the purpose of handling logs, prior to this invention,so Ido not claim that broadly but What I do claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

l. In a steam log loader and turner two upright stationary steamcylinders with piston rods projecting through stufting boxes and guidesat the top and reciprocating in parallel lines, one actuating a block towhich the lower portion ot' the toothed bar is pivoted and the otheractuating a perpendicular bar which by any known gear actuates a segmentattached to the lower end of the toothed bar, the segment beingrevoluble on the point of attachment to the piston rod of the lirstcylinder.

2. In a log loader and turner a toothed bar having a laterallyprojecting portion at the bottom supporting a segment which is driven bya reciprocating bar acting through any known gear and revoluble on apivot attached to the toothed bar the bearing of the pivot and thereciprocating bar that drives the segment both reciprocatingindependently in parallel lines all being suitably guided.

3. The combination of the vertical cylinders E and D, the bar O, thesegment F, the

reciprocating bar G, and the pistons and piston rods of the cylindersall suitably guided substantially as described for the purpose specied.

4. In a log loader and turner the combination of lthe vertical cylindersE and D containing pistons and piston rods, an upwardly projectingtoothed bar pivoted to the piston rod of cylinder D and bearing asegment F which is connected to the vertically reciprocating bar G by agear composed of straps h and t', attached as described, the verticalbar G being suitably guided on the side ot` cylinder E and reciprocatedby its piston substantially as described.

In witness whereof I hereunto setvmyhand and seal in the presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM E. HILL. [L.

Witnesses:

E. S. Ross, GORA E. WEsTBRooK.

IOO

